This invention relates to a connector assembly. More particularly, the invention relates to a connector assembly which includes a casing and a probe disposed in an insulated and concentric relationship with the casing and which includes first and second printed circuit boards having a particular relationship to the casing and the probe in the connector to define an assembly with the electrical connector. One of the printed circuit boards may be a motherboard and the other printed circuit board may be a daughterboard.
Integrated circuit chips are progressively decreasing in size as the thickness of the electrical lines in the chips progressively decrease in size. For example, integrated circuit chips are now being produced with electrical leads having a micron size of 0.10 microns. The integrated circuit chips are disposed on printed circuit boards and are electrically interconnected on the printed circuit boards. As a result, as the micron size of the electrical leads in the printed circuit boards decreases, either the size of the printed circuit boards can be decreased or additional circuitry can be provided on a board of a given size.
Electrical equipments generally include a plurality of printed circuit boards. To provide a connection between a pair of different boards, an electrical connector is generally provided for each of the boards in the pair. The electrical connectors are then interconnected to produce the desired circuitry. The use of a pair of electrical connectors to interconnect the printed circuit boards is wasteful of space and is also wasteful of electrical energy. It also requires additional components to be used, thereby increasing the cost of the assembly.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an electrical connector includes a conductive casing and a conductive probe disposed within the casing. The probe may be in a concentric relationship with the casing. The probe is insulated from the casing by a first insulating sleeve which may be disposed in a concentric relationship with the casing and the probe.
A first electrical assembly such as a first printed circuit board has an opening for a disposition of the casing in the opening in the board in an insulated relationship with the casing. A first end of the probe may pass through an opening in the first sleeve for connection to a terminal external to the connector.
A second end of the probe may pass through an opening in a second insulating sleeve disposed in the casing and may then pass through an opening in a second electrical assembly such as a second printed circuit board in an insulated relationship to the casing. A plug maybe disposed within the casing to position the second insulator fixedly within the casing. One of the printed circuit boards may be a motherboard and the other board may be a daughterboard. One of the boards may be in a transverse relationship to the other board.